Protecting device for bank-windows



T. H.. AND E. P. ROBBINS.

PROTECTING DEVICE FOR BANKWINDOWS. APPLICAHGNVFILED AUG-25, 1919.

82,803 Patented J M628, 1921.

1;; v INVEN 0/75. I 771 mm 1/; Roam/vs m EUGENE 4. Rode us UlTED STATES Aren't ()Fi ltlE.

THOMAS H. ROBBINS, OF LADYSMTTI-I, WISCONSIN, AND EUGENE E. EGBBINS, OF MINNEAFOLTS, MINNESOTA.

PROTECTING DEVICE FOR BANK-"WINDOWS.

Application filed August 25, 1919.

To all '10 7mm it may concern Be it known that we, THOMAS H. ROBBINS and EUGENE P. Remains, citizens of the United States, residing at Ladysmith, in the county of Rusk, State of TVisconsin, and hlinneapolis, in the county of Hennepin, State of Minnesota, respectively, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Protecting Devices for Bank-Windows; and we do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use. the same.

(Eur invention has for its object to provide an improved protecting device for bank windows, said latter term being used in a broad sense to include any window or like opening through which money or valuables are to be passed. Particularly, the invention is designed to protect bank tellers windows in banks.

The tellers window in a bank is usually covered with a grating and heavy plate glass that is customarily extended at both sides of the window. It has frequently happened, however, that a robber suddenly appearing at the window will thrust his revolver through the. grating, aim directly at the teller, with a demand that the money be delivered to him through the window and usually this request is complied with because of the very great risk incident to refusal.

@ur invention provides a device which, while normally out of the way and nearly or quite invisible, may, by an unobserved foot operation of the teller, be tripped, and when thus released, will instantly fly to a position to close the window and aiford a bulletproof protection between the robber and the teller. This window closing and protecting device will preferably be made of, probably, hardened sheet steel hinged at its upper edge and under spring tension to close but yieldingly held by a latch'adapted to be tripped, as above generally indicated. A lock is provided for automatically locking the protector plate in its window closing position.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein like characters indicate like parts throughout the several views Figure 1 is a view chiefly in elevation but with some parts sectioned, showing the win.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patentgd Jung 28, 1921 Serial No. 319,633.

dow protector applied to a tellers window, said parts being viewed from the tellers side of the window;

Fig. 2- is a vertical section taken on the line 22 of Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is a horizontal section taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1, some parts being broken away;

Fig. 4 is a horizontal section taken approximately on the line l--'l of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 5 is a plan view showing in detail the trip bar of the protecting mechanism, some parts being broken away.

The tellers cage is of the usual or any suitable construction, and of the parts thereof, it is only desirable to particularly note the window counter 6, the front panel or wall the glass front panes 8, side vxal 1), and the window frame 10, which latter affords the opening for the tellers window. The window grating is indicated by the numeral 11.

The window grating 11 has a tansverse intermediate bar 11, and to this bar the metal protecting plate 12 is hinged at The distance between the hinge 13 and the counter 6 is such that the protecting plate 12, when swung downward, will but slightly clear the said counter; and to lock said protecting plate in its downturned dotted line position, Fig. 2, to thereby close the window opening, one or more latches are applied to the counter. ihese locks, shown, are two in number and are afforded by bent leaf springs A attached at one end of the counter with their free ends in position to be engaged and depressed by the protecting plate when the latter is swung downward, and when the protecting plate reaches its extreme closed position, these spring looks or latches 14- will securely hold the same in such position.

Normally, the protecting plate 12 will be raised and held in a raised position. This raised position may be anywhere between a horizontal position and an upturned vertical position, and preferably it is normally secured in approximately the latter noted position, by means of a hook-like latch arm 15 secured to a small rock shaft 16 journaled in suitable bearings afforded by the inturned ends of a bar 17 secured to the upper portion of the framework 10. At one end, a rock shaft 16 is provided with an arm 18 that projects in; a direction opposite to the 1 through the cable 19 andro'ck shaftlfi to.

'. A pair of flanged guide columns 22 extended from the counter 6 down to the.

latch a1'xn 15. This arm 18 is ioonneoted to the upper endiof a cord or tripping connection l9 that extends downward through the counter, and at itslower end isattaehed to a one end of a tripping bar 20. This tripping bar stands normally slightly aboye the floor, and 'when stepped "upon, .Will operate raise latch arm 15 and release the protecting plate 12. r

The protecting plate 12 is under normal springpressure to quickly fly to its downfloor-pandthe prongs oflthese columns are PIOVlClGCl with L-sha 36d notches 23mm. When the tripping bar 2-0 1s placed in the lower notches 23 ,it will drop to the bottom of one of the notches at one end, and its other end, towit, th at end secured to the cable 12,,w llbe free forvertical moven1entsL =To hold the, latter noted end. otthe tripping bar normally raised slightlyi'above f the bottom of its coiiperating notch; said 'trippingbar is shown as provided with leaf spring 25 that engages the-floor,- as

shown in Fig. 1. When the'tripping bar 20: 1s stepped on, this-spring 25' w ll be bent anjdfthe proteetin' g; already described; I

Sometimes, as when scrubbing or sweeping the'floor, itis desirable to getthe tripe i 1566 ll be released, as

ping bar out of the way, and may then be m1 sedJ and 1nSerted" into the '-upper notches 2 1 -01 the columns 22.

The operation is thought to be, obvious from the'foi' egoing statements, but the fel lowing further comments may he made.

fNorin'ally, the protecting plate lQ'Wil l be raisedlso,thatthe eashiers window may be, used 1n the usual -way-. :The teller will usually be standing near the window and:

clo setothe oounter.-

l; a robber shonldfpoint a revolver at the teller vthrough the window, the teller, b movements of the foot, not ohserved by the 5 robber, willpress the tripbar 20, thereupon,

hasquiek as" a shot,'the said protecting plate 'will "be released and thrown downward to a closed position 'and -there looked/"This will eompletely feut off all direct line of rision hetweenthe robber. and teller and wouldgiye theqteller plenty of chance to V 1 drop behind the counter; and escape or do any other thing desirable under the circumstances; V V i The robber will hardly shoot through the glass window plates, but if further protection is required, these glass plates will be dispensed withand other provision made for protect-ion at such points. The hinged edge o'f-Ithe protectingplate'l2 is so high up that a robber could not see over the same,

but, nevertheless, the tellers window down to the hinge mighthawe any desired solid closure for further protection.

The device desoribed'is, of course, capable of modification within'the broad scope of my invention and couldbe modified as to manner of application, dimensions, and the like, to better adapt it for application to various different places and diiferent types of WlIlClOWS.. The device is adapted gener- "ally for application to all small window openings that robbers.

hat-we claim is: V 1.. The combination with the framework of a banlowindow having a window open I require protection against ing thereinsand a stationary counter at the bottomrof said openingpof a normally elevated protecting plate extending upwardly fronithe'top of the window opening and hinged to the windowifraine adjacent the top of the said opening, means abovesaid window opening for holdings-aid plate its normal position, said-plate being adapted to swing downwardly to close the windo-w opening, means tending to swing said plate to its closed position when the same is released, a tripping means'for releasing said plate to permit it to swing to closed.

position, and locking meanslon said counter to l oldtheplate in closed position.

2; The {combination with a window and a o eounte at the bottom thereof, of a protect- 111;; plate} hinged n respeetto sa dwindow at one edge and under yielding straint'o moveitjo a window closing positionra lateh for securing said protectingplatein w n; 7 don: opening; posit on, guide columns below said :c'ounter, a1 tripping bar reniovably mount d iii-g u which said bar to said latch by releasing saicl'lilotect ing plate.

me]; and lower seats with either of tr; pping bar nay' be engaged at will, and acableronnectingsaid tripping e onsaid columns, said columns hav In testimony whereof we afiiiz ourj signer turesfinpresence twoiwitnesscs. V I

" ,TnoM sn. nonnins,

EUGENE VP. ROBBINS. 'W'itnesss: Q

Wrrnrnnn 1; WARD, HARRY D.'KIL G01E. 

